As a publishing correspondent for Light Bearers Ministry in Africa, I have the privilege of listening to literally hundreds of people tell me their conversion stories. I see lives who are touched by God’s powerful Word given through literature in the form of tracts and Bible studies. God works miracles in unexpected ways. I see God opening ways in prisons, hospitals, marketplaces, schools, personal homes and much more. In all of these stories I notice God’s timing. The Holy Spirit knows how and when the message needs to reach each individual. No sooner, no later, but exactly at the right time. Every conversion is a miracle!
“There are many places in which the voice of the minister cannot be heard, places which can be reached only by publications; the books, papers, and tracts that are filled with the Bible truth that the people need. Our literature is to be distributed everywhere. The truth is to be sown beside all waters; for we know not which shall prosper, this or that. In our erring judgment we may think it unwise to give literature to the very ones who would accept the truth most readily. We know not what may be the good results of giving away a leaflet containing present truth.” The Southern Watchman, January 5, 1904
“In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.” Ecclesiastes 11:6, KJV
“There are many places in which the voice of the minister cannot be heard, places which can be reached only by publications…”
In addition to this, we should not underestimate the value of training. Greater and more efficient work can be accomplished through a bit of training on how to use literature in the form of tracts or Bible lessons. How to approach people is crucial. Training does not deny the power of the Holy Spirit’s work in human hearts. A bit of skill together with the distribution of printed material can go a long way, open more doors and reach more hearts. Following is a testimony from Amon Soneka, North Western Zambia.
During a Global Pioneer seminar, we learned how to use the Discover Bible lessons from Light Bearers in gaining interests for Bible studies. With this in mind, I went back home where I work as a Pioneer in the North Western part of Zambia, in a town called Kabompo. The church suggested that I should work in the far Northern areas of the district. This area has never been reached by the Everlasting Gospel. The place stretches for about 100 kilometres from Kabompo to the border of Angola.
How will I start? And how will I get there? These were some of my concerns. But God is faithful. He knows what we need. The government, through the ministry of education, sent two Seventh-day Adventist teachers to work in some of these places. These teachers were transferred to these remote primary schools.
This is God’s working. They came to visit the only Adventist church in my small town of Kabompo. When they told me about their transfer to these remote schools, God gave me a plan. I went to visit the two teachers. I introduced the Bible lessons to them and showed them through a bit of training on how to use them in the communities and schools. They took the Bible lessons and started distributing them in the school and villages.
The only transport I could find was an ox cart. It took me one and a half days to reach the first school.
I decided to visit these teachers to see what they had done with the Bible lessons. The road was bad and very sandy. The only transport I could find was an ox cart. It took me one and a half days to reach the first school. If you wait for any other transport, a person may wait for sometimes more than a week before any type of transport travels in the same direction. But God is amazing. These teachers have been faithful in using the lessons. Now, two new branches have been opened at these schools.
Visiting these new converts is challenging. Transport is a problem. God has opened a way to reach even the unreached. God loves these people and His gospel is penetrating the darkness of unentered areas. Thank you for these lessons that can reach further than the preacher can go.
This method is working powerfully in Africa. The message is moving further than the preacher can go. Thank you Light Bearers Ministry for your support in giving us literature on a regular basis. Praise our Father!
Meiring Pretorius
Meiring works on the ground where Light Bearers literature is sent and writes regular reports on the progress of the literature work in these areas.
